He then trapped Ravi Ashwin (12) to end the day, leaving India 8-266, ahead by just four runs.

Tempers flared in the final session, with umpires asking stand-in skipper Shane Watson to cool David Warner after the opener exchanged words with Indian allrounder Ravindra Jadeja.

But when the dust settled, the day emphatically belonged to Lyon, who claimed his third five-wicket Test haul at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.

Often maligned, Lyon said later he never questioned himself despite being axed for the second Test.

"It's definitely pleasing," he said. "The selectors picked what side they think is going to do the job for Australia. Unfortunately I missed out in Hyderabad but I worked hard in the nets and I was happy to bowl quite well out there."

Asked if he had made technical changes, Lyon said: "No, I haven't changed a thing since I arrived in India.

"I learned a lot about these conditions. I spoke to Shane Watson about getting in the contest and having that body language up and that paid off for me today.

"That's something I can work on down the track."

Australia's selectors erred badly by dumping Lyon for the second Test after he took 4-244 in Chennai.

The panel saw the light quickly and recalled him for Mohali after Xavier Doherty and Glenn Maxwell served up more pies than Harry's Cafe de Wheels in the Hyderabad horror show.

Lyon is now Australia's leading wicket-taker in this series with 11 ahead of James Pattinson and Peter Siddle (nine), who yesterday top-scored with 51 to celebrate his maiden Test half-century.

When he trapped Tendulkar lbw, Lyon had his scalp for the third time in Test cricket - as many times as Warne claimed The Little Master.

The 25-year-old lamented the fact Australia didn't try to intimidate India earlier in the series.

"I think we do wish that we did do it earlier," he said. "That's a way that Australia plays its best cricket, when were putting the contest to the opposition. And no matter who the opposition is, I think it works well.

"Australia plays cricket hard but fair, we push it to the line but we don't go over it.

"That's probably something we haven't done over the last three Test matches and I think we saw the reward in putting India under a bit of pressure."

At stumps on day two, the hosts are 8/266 in reply to Australia's first-innings 262.

The Delhi deck appears difficult with heavy cracking already visible on a pitch that resembles more a day-four wicket.

Earlier, Siddle brought up his fifty early in the morning session, but departed within overs when he was clean bowled by Ravi Ashwin (5/57), who celebrated another five-wicket haul with the dismissal of the gutsy No.9.

At 9/243, the tourists refused to succumb easily, with James Pattinson (30) and Nathan Lyon (8no) adding 19 for the final wicket.

The Indians eventually wrapped-up the innings, Pattinson edging Pragyan Ojha (1/75) to Virat Kohli at slip to give the left-arm spinner his 100th Test wicket.

Vijay and Pujara started well and the latter produced the shot of the morning, punching Pattinson through the covers to get the Indians rolling.

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